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Our youngest son’s birthday in mid July was the occasion for a family dinner a couple of weeks ago. This Zucchini dish was part of a wonderful meal, and it turned out pretty enough to be a table centerpiece! I used a prepared pie crust instead of making the pastry, so it was very simple to put together, and fun for my granddaughters to help assemble. The combination of goat cheese, lemon zest, and freshly picked lemon thyme was delicious.

Zucchini Galette with Lemon Thyme and Goat Cheese

1 pepared refrigerated pie crust (not frozen)

5 Medium zucchini squash, ends trimmed, and sliced very thin

2 Tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces goat cheese, softened

1 teaspoon chopped fresh lemon thyme

1 teaspoon lemon zest

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 ten inch tart pan

Set the pie crust out on counter for 15 minutes, or per package instructions. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put zucchini rounds into a colander and sprinkle with 2 teaspoon sea salt. Set the colander over a bowl and toss the zucchini before allowing to drain for about 30 minutes. Then squeeze the zucchini gently to remove more liquid. Put into a bowl and toss with 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil and a few grinds of black pepper. In a smaller bowl, mix softened goat cheese with lemon thyme and grated lemon zest. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.

While the zucchini is draining, place pie crust round on floured cloth and roll out to slightly larger, then place in tart pan.

When you are ready to assemble the galette, spread the goat cheese mixture over the pie crust to about 1/2 inch from the edge of crust. Starting in the center, arrange zucchini rounds in snug, overlapping concentric circles all the way to the edge of the crust. Drizzle with remaining Tablespoon of olive oil. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

My husband has had more surgeries on one knee than most people have in a lifetime! When he was released from the hospital following the latest surgery last week, I asked him on the drive home what he wanted for dinner that evening. I was not surprised when he promptly replied “lentil soup!” He needs a high protein diet for healing, and our lentil friends help with that. This soup pot has bubbled on our stove many times over many years, and the whole family loves it. In a 1963 edition of the Good Housekeeping Cookbook which has kept company with us all 47 years of marriage, I find the recipe that ours evolved from with the notation that Joe made it the first time on February 4, 1973. We have made it different ways since then, and never by the book… but always the finishing touch is squeezing fresh lemon slices over the steaming bowls of soup. Delicious with a slice of cornbread! This tastes even better the next day. Just be sure to serve fresh lemon when you reheat.